Friday, March 30, 2007

Well the Silverchair train pulled into a Young Modern Station at the Carriageworks last night with an exclusive album launch of Young Modern. I was among the 1000 people privileged to witness the return of one of this country's premier bands. The band were in high spirits & steamed full speed ahead playing tracks off the new album plus songs from their previous albums.

For your viewing pleasure check out Straight Lines from last night. Thanks to the Chair for an awesome night, Rock On!

Tight-trousered punk-funk, shaggy haired pub rock and thumping disco are but three of this decade's revivals of long gone forgotten-ignored genres that have had their moments in the charts. There's been another revival recently - prog pop - though it's unclear, despite the outstanding efforts of groups such as Arcade Fire and the Decemberists, that there's a public clamouring for its return.

It seems a long time ago since the little s’d Silverchair were the enfant-not-so terribles of Australian rock and indeed, it is. Not only because it’s over 12 years since the Tomorrow single and their debut album, Frogstomp, took sway of a young generation’s imagination, but because Daniel Johns has become such a freewheeling musical spirit, calling moods and ‘musicalities’ at will, something which has again occurred – with the help of bandmates Ben Gillies and Chris Joannou on the band’s fourth album,

Young Modern.Clearly, the freedom to take his time, as well as being able to collaborate with the likes of Paul Mac (on 2004’s Dissociatives album) has done Johns many wonders. The single, Straight Lines, seems oblique at first but unveils to be as catchy as any pop single out there. The opening track, Young Modern Station, allows Johns to vent old demons – with mentions of arthritic conversations leading to an operatic declaration that ‘the interview’s over’.

The rock opera extends to If You Keep Losing Sleep, a song first unveiled in Perth at the Rock-It festival in March, 2006, a ride-of-the-Valkyries surge that left many fans at that event baying for Pure Massacre. On record, 12 months later, it’s a sweeping new statement.

DANIEL Johns announced Silverchair's much-anticipated return to the world stage last night at the ultimate Friday gig at Redfern.

In front of more than a 1000-strong crowd of besotted fans and industry supporters at the Carriageworks in Redfern.

Johns walked on in an all-black suit and walked off triumphant, sweaty and bare-chested -having re-established his Rock God status with a concert that showcased Silverchair's return as a man's band.

They were watched by John's wife, singer Natalie Imbruglia, and the band's family and partners -plus privileged competition winners, many of whom had feared the band that began with a boom 13 years ago would never perform again.

Imbruglia flew home to enjoy the most significant moment in the band's history and her husband's career after five years away from the spotlight.

Silverchair's new and fourth album Young Modern has already claimed the No. 1 spot – even though it goes on sale for the first time today – based on iTunes and retail preorders of more than 70,000.

The first single, Straight Lines, whipped the crowd into a singalong frenzy last night having spent the last two weeks at the top of the ARIA charts.

Johns - who looked more comfortable in his own skin than ever before - chatted amiably with the crowd, demanding drinks. He even lead a chorus of Happy Birthday for gig-only addition Adam, their keyboard player.

Showing how far they have come since their song Tomorrow, television leading lights Tom Williams, Chris Hemsworth, Holly Brisley and Toni Pearen lapped it up with rugby league's Willie Mason and Mark Gasnier.